JP3596044B2 - Cutting device for printing media - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention provides a printing tape including a printing unit such as a thermal head, a platen, and a tape transport unit, and for printing an image such as a character or a figure on a tape-shaped printing medium in accordance with data input in advance. The present invention relates to a configuration of a printing medium cutting device provided in the apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The present applicant has previously proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-89359 a printing tape producing apparatus for displaying a receptor type label or the like. This apparatus is configured so that a cassette case storing a printing tape and an ink ribbon, which are print-receiving media, can be removably mounted in a cassette storage section of a printing tape producing apparatus. A printing unit provided with a thermal head, a roller-shaped platen that comes into contact with and separates from the printing unit, a winding unit for the ink ribbon, and the like are provided. While the tape is being pulled out at an appropriate speed, an image such as a character string is printed on the tape, and a cutting device for cutting the printed tape into a predetermined length is provided.
[0003]
The tape cutting device passes the exit surface of the printed print medium in the tape cassette case containing the print medium and the ink ribbon as the receiving surface of the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and passes along the receiving surface. The cutting blade is attached to a support member which is turned by a turning operation lever provided in a printing tape producing device, and the cutting blade is attached to the supporting member which is so-called push-cut type of a tape-shaped print medium to be cut. The member was configured to be detachable from a rotating support shaft protruding from the printing tape producing device.
[0004]
According to this configuration, even if the receiving surface is made uneven by pressing the cutting blade, the cassette case as a consumable can be replaced. On the other hand, when the sharpness of the cutting blade is deteriorated, the cassette case is integrated with the support member. In order to replace the cutting blade without the user's finger touching the cutting blade, the cutter blade is pulled out from the rotation support shaft using a cutter attachment having a special structure.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the prior art, it is safe if the used cutting blade and the support member are discarded together with the cutter attachment, but a new cutting blade and a support member are attached to the rotation support shaft. After mounting, the removed cutter attachment must be stored until the next replacement, and if this cutter attachment is lost, there is a risk of injury to a finger when replacing the cutting blade. In addition, since the receiving table for receiving the cutting edge of the cutting blade is integrated with the cassette case, there is also an inconvenience that the receiving table cannot be replaced at any time.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device for cutting a tape-shaped print-receiving medium in a print-tape producing apparatus that enables safe and extremely easy replacement operation. It is the purpose.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a printing medium cutting apparatus according to the invention according to claim 1 is a printing medium in which an ink ribbon and a tape-shaped printing medium are conveyed to a printing section of a printing tape producing apparatus. A cutting device for a print medium, which is provided with a cutting member having a receiving surface facing when the print medium passes, and a cutting blade for pressing and cutting the print medium against the receiving surface of the cutting member. And an interlocking engaging portion detachably engaged with a driving portion such as an operation lever, the interlocking portion being connected to the turning member via a turning support member integrally projecting from the holding member. On the other hand, the holding member is provided with a mounting portion to the printing tape making device.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printing medium cutting apparatus according to the first aspect , the rotation range of the rotating member with respect to the holding member is a range along the moving direction of the printing medium on the receiving surface . A rotation range restricting means for restricting the cutting edge of the cutting blade to be positioned therein is provided.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for cutting a printing medium according to the first or second aspect, the rotating member presses and clamps one of the wide surfaces of the cutting blade and the other surface. And a projection for making the cutting blade rotatable and immovable, and the cutting blade is provided with a mounting hole into which the projection fits.
[0010]
【Example】
Next, examples embodying the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the print tape producing device 1, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cassette case 4, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cassette case 4 with the tape case 12 removed. On one side of the upper surface of the upper case 3 that fits into the lower case 2, a cover body 6 that covers an accommodating portion 5 for detachably accommodating a cassette case 4 described later is provided so as to be openable and closable. The upper and lower cases 3, 2 and the cover body 6 are both injection molded products made of synthetic resin. Further, on the upper surface of the upper case 3, a keyboard unit 7 for inputting characters and the like, a switch panel 8 for various operations, and a display unit 9 such as a liquid crystal for displaying the input characters and operation instructions are arranged. A mechanical mechanism and a microcomputer (not shown) for control are built in between the upper and lower cases 3 and 2.
[0011]
Next, a description will be given of the structure of a transporting unit and a printing unit of the tape 10 as an example of a print-receiving medium. As shown in FIG. 1, the accommodation unit 5 includes a ribbon winding spool 13 in a cassette case 4 described later. A ribbon drive camshaft 30 fitted to the inner diameter portion and a tape drive camshaft 31 fitted to the inner diameter portion of the tape feed roller 14 in the cassette case 4 are respectively provided upright. It is transmitted to the ribbon drive camshaft 30 and the tape drive camshaft 31 via a gear train (not shown) arranged on the lower surface.
[0012]
Further, a printing unit 32 composed of a thermal head for printing on the tape 10 via the ink ribbon 11, a platen 33 that comes into contact with and separates from a heating element of the thermal head, and a pressing roller 34 that presses against the tape feed roller 14 A platen operating lever 36 for rotating the platen holder 35 is disposed at the location of the housing 5 so as to be vertically rotatable. When the cover 6 is closed so as to cover the storage section 5 of the cassette case 4, the platen operating lever 36 is pressed by the pressing portion 37 protruding from the inner surface of the cover 6, and the platen 33 is moved via the platen holder 35. Is pressed against the surface of the heating element in the printing unit 32, and the pressing roller 34 is pressed against the surface of the tape feed roller 14 almost simultaneously, From cassette case 4 placed in the pay unit 5 is configured to be printed while feeding the tape 10.
[0013]
On the contrary, when the cover body 6 is opened, the platen 33 attached thereto is separated from the printing unit 32 by the urging force of a spring (not shown), and the pressing roller 34 is separated from the surface of the tape feed roller 14. It is configured to rotate in the direction of rotation.
[0014]
On one side of the upper and lower cases 3 and 2 adjacent to the accommodating portion 5, a cutting device 38 having a configuration to be described later is provided to cut the fed tape 10 in the width direction.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an ink ribbon 11 is accommodated in a cassette case 4 made of synthetic resin, and a tape case 12 in which a printing tape 10 is accommodated is placed in the cassette case 4. Can be detachably mounted, and the upper surface of the cassette case 4 is open. The tape 10 of the receptor type in this embodiment is printed on the surface facing the ink ribbon 11, an adhesive layer is applied in advance on the back surface of the tape 10, and a release tape is temporarily bonded to this adhesive layer. I have.
[0016]
A cover plate 15 for integrally covering the upper surface of the storage portion of the ink ribbon 11 in the cassette case 4 and the upper surface of the tape feed roller 14 is detachably mounted.
[0017]
The ink ribbon 11 pulled out from the ink ribbon winding reel in the storage section is discharged to one of the discharge ports formed in the outer wall 4b surrounding the printing section 32, and then substantially separated from the tape 10 at the position of the printing section 32. It is attached in parallel and wound around the ribbon take-up spool 13 through an entrance near the tape feed roller 14.
[0018]
The housing portion 4c of the case, into which the tape case 12 fits from above, is arranged on the outer periphery of the housing portion of the ink ribbon 11, and is connected to the housing portion 4c so that a guide groove 24 having an open top surface is formed on the outer circumference of the housing portion. Is formed along. The tape 10 pulled out of the tape case 12 along the guide groove 24 is attached to the outer surface (wide surface) of the ink ribbon 11 at the printing portion 32, and conveys the tape 10 to the printing portion 32. In the guide groove 24 as a path, in the vicinity of the ejection opening of the ink ribbon 11, the width surface and the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the tape 10 come into contact with other members such as the platen holder 35 at the time of attaching and detaching the cassette case 4 (interference). It is covered and protected by the outer wall 4a of the cassette case 4 and the front end 15a of the cover plate 15 so as not to be disturbed.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 4, the tape case 12 made of a synthetic resin includes a tape winding storage part 25 having a substantially cylindrical shape in a plan view, and the storage part so as to communicate from the winding storage part 25 to the guide groove 24. And a guide groove 26 surrounding a part of the outer circumference of the tape. The guide groove 26 as a part of a path for transporting the tape 10 from the winding storage part 25 extends from the winding storage part 25 to the start end of the guide groove 24. Are formed in an open top shape.
[0020]
In this way, by configuring the upper surface of the guide groove 24 or / guide groove portion 26 to be open, when the tape case 12 is replaced, the user can use the guide groove 24 or / and the guide groove portion 26 at the position of the guide groove 24. The tape 10 is pinched by a finger so that the leading end of the tape 10 is easily conveyed toward the discharge port of the ink ribbon 11.
[0021]
A tape reel, in which the end of the tape 10 is joined by an adhesive tape or the like, is rotatably disposed in the winding storage part 25, and is a transparent disk made of a transparent plate for covering the upper surface of the winding storage part 25. An engagement projection on the lower surface of the tape cap 29 is detachably fitted into an engagement groove of the tape reel, and a knob 29b which is pinched and turned by a user with a finger is integrally projected on the upper surface of the tape cap 29. Is established. The tape 10 can be rewound in the direction of the winding accommodating portion 25 before the tape case 12 is removed from the cassette case 4 by the rewinding means configured as described above. In addition, even when printing is performed on a portion where printing has been performed once, the operation of returning the leading end of the tape 10 that has passed the printing unit 32 to the original position can be performed extremely easily.
[0022]
The cassette case 4 has six hole-shaped detection portions 41 set in advance according to the ink color of the ink ribbon 11 mounted thereon, the color of the printing tape 10, the type of paper quality, and the like. And a detection unit 42 such as a limit switch provided in the storage unit 5 is configured to be able to detect.
[0023]
In this case, the tape in the tape case 12 replaced with the cassette case 4 so that the protruding detected portion 43 protruding downward from the tape case 12 is fitted into the hole-shaped detected portion 41. Ten colors and the like can be determined.
[0024]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the tape feed roller 14 is formed so that its central portion has a small diameter and its upper and lower guide portions have a large diameter. An outlet 44 is provided, and a slide 45 protrudes from the tape outlet 44 toward the central portion of the small diameter. The surface of the slide 45 is set so as to be located inside (inside of the radius) the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter guide portion, whereby the leading end (free end) of the tape 10 has a curl. Even if it is curled, it is guided to the tape outlet 44 smoothly. In addition, a contact step 46 with which the leading edge of the tape 10 abuts is formed on the base side surface of the slide 45 so as to define the position of the leading end of the tape 10 pulled out from the cassette case 4. .
[0025]
Next, the configuration of the cutting device 38 will be described with reference to FIGS. The cutting device 38 of the present embodiment is configured to press the tape 10 against the receiving surface 50a of the chopping member 50 by pressing the tape 10 against the receiving surface 50a of the chopping member 50 when the tape 10 passes in the direction of arrow B in FIG. And a turning member 51 on which a cutting blade 52 for so-called push-cutting is mounted. The turning member 51 is turned by a predetermined angle by an operation lever 53 as an example of a driving unit. It is configured.
[0026]
The holding member 50 is provided with an attachment portion for detachably attaching to the frame 54 of the tape forming device 1. As an example, as shown in FIG. 6, a mounting hole 54 which is opened on the lower surface is formed in the chopping member 50, and the mounting hole 54 is formed in the vicinity of a tape discharge port 55 which is cut out on one side of the lower case 3. A mounting piece 56 a projecting upward from the frame 56 is configured to be removably fitted into the mounting hole 54.
[0027]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, upper and lower pieces 57a and 57b of a rotation support member 57 having a U-shaped cross section are provided substantially continuously so as to protrude from the vicinity of the lower end of the receiving surface 50a of the holding member 50. The upper and lower bosses 58a and 58b of the rotary member 51 are formed with receiving holes 59a and 59b, which are rotatably fitted to each other. To form one set.
[0028]
The pivoting member 51 is provided with a support hole 60 that penetrates vertically in the inner diameter of the upper and lower bosses 58a and 58b, and the pivoting support member 57 is rotatably mounted on the pinching member 50 ( In one set), the rotating member 51 can be rotatably mounted on a support shaft 61 projecting in parallel near the mounting piece 56a.
[0029]
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, on one side of the outer periphery of the rotating member 51, a holding means for pressing and holding one of the wide surfaces of the cutting blade 52 and the other surface is provided. As one embodiment of the holding means, a pair of upper and lower cover plates 62, 62 for supporting the upper and lower portions of the surface of the cutting blade 52 are provided at the upper and lower portions on one side of the outer periphery of the rotating member 51. An elastic cantilever-like pressing table 63 is provided between the pair of cover plates 62, 62, and a mounting hole formed in the center of the cutting blade 52 in the longitudinal direction on the surface of the pressing table 63. A round shaft-shaped protrusion 65 is rotatably fitted with the protrusion 64 integrally. Thereby, when the back side of the cutting blade 52 is pushed into the gap between the pressing table 63 and the upper and lower cover plates 62 and 26, the center back surface of the cutting blade 52 is elastically pressed by the pressing table 63, and the cutting blade 52 is pressed. The upper and lower portions on the front side are pressed against the inner surfaces of both cover plates 62 and 26, and the cutting blade 52 is prevented from being accidentally pulled out via the projection 65.
[0030]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the cutting blade 52 is rotatable around the location of the protrusion 65 on the support base 62, and the tape positioned on the surface of the receiving surface 50 a of the holding member 50 at the cutting edge of the cutting blade 52. When the cutting blade 10 is pushed and cut, the cutting blade 52 is configured so that the cutting edge of the cutting blade 52 is parallel to the surface of the tape 10 and thus the receiving surface 50a, and the cutting edge does not hit one side, so that the cutting blade 52 can be almost evenly contacted.
[0031]
An interlocking gear portion 67 is formed on one outer periphery of the rotating member 51 as an interlocking meshing portion that meshes and engages with a fan-shaped gear portion 66 formed at the base of the operation lever 53. At this time, since the longitudinal direction of the gear portion 66 of the operation lever 53 that rotates around the rotating shaft 68 is formed parallel to the axis of the support shaft 61, the longitudinal direction of the interlocking gear portion 67. Are also parallel to the longitudinal direction of the gear portion 66, and when the set member 50 is attached to the mounting piece 56a and the support hole 60 of the rotating member 51 is attached to the support shaft 61 from above as one set, the interlocking gear portion 67 Can be smoothly fitted and engaged from the upper edge of the fan-shaped gear portion 66. Note that the same set can be smoothly extracted.
[0032]
Also, the stopper piece 69 protruding from the upper piece 57a of the rotation support member 57 and the locking piece 70 protruding from the upper end surface of the rotation member 51 are formed by the cutting blade 52 attached to the rotation member 51. When rotating so as to separate from the receiving surface 50a, the rotation of the rotating member 51 with respect to the scribing member 50 is restricted so as not to exceed a certain angle. The cutting edge of the cutting blade 52 is limited so as to be located within a range of the width dimension (L) along the moving direction of the cutting blade 52.
[0033]
The rotation range restricting means is configured such that an end edge or a locking piece (not shown) of the interlocking gear portion 67 protruding from the outer peripheral surface side of the rotation member 51 contacts an arbitrary end surface of the rotation support member 57. It may be realized by contact.
[0034]
With this configuration, the color of the ink ribbon 11 in the cassette case 4 to be mounted on the printing tape producing device 1 and the color of the tape 10 in the tape case 12 are set in an arbitrary combination, and when the printing operation is completed, FIG. A printed portion of the tape 10 in the direction of arrow B passes through a gap between the cutting edge of the cutting blade 52 and the receiving surface 50 of the holding member 50 and is discharged from the tape discharge port 55.
[0035]
Here, when the user rotates the operation lever 53 in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 5, the rotating member 51 rotates in the direction of arrow D due to the engagement of the gear portion 66 and the interlocking gear portion 67, and the cutting blade 52 The cutting edge pushes and cuts the tape 10 located on the surface of the receiving surface 50a.
[0036]
When the sharpness of the cutting blade 52 becomes dull, one set of the cutting member 50 and the rotating member 51 with the cutting blade 52 is replaced.
[0037]
In this case, as described above, the rotating member 51 is continuously provided via the rotating support member 57 provided on one side of the scribing member 50, and the mounting piece 56a to which the Since the support shafts 61 on which the moving members 51 are mounted are parallel to each other and the upper ends are free ends, the set can be extremely easily extracted and replaced with a new set. In addition, if the knob 71 is formed at the upper end portion of one side of the chopping member 50, replacement work such as removal of the layer becomes easier.
[0038]
The rotation range of the rotation member 51 mounted on the rotation support member 57, and hence the rotation movement range of the cutting blade 52, is controlled by the stopper piece 69 and the locking piece 70, etc. Thereby, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 52 is restricted so as to be located within a range along the moving direction of the tape 10 in the receiving surface 50a. Even if the finger is picked and mounted / extracted with a finger, the finger does not touch the cutting edge of the cutting blade 52, which is safe.
[0039]
Note that, instead of the operation lever 53, an interlocking gear 67 of the rotating member may be engaged with a gear of a driving unit such as a driving motor.
[0040]
In addition, when the rigidity of the rotation support member 57 connected to the holding member 50 is high and the rotation support member 57 is not easily deformed when the rotation member 51 rotates, the support shaft 61 may be omitted.
[0041]
Further, the printing medium (tape) cutting apparatus of the present invention can be applied to a printing tape producing apparatus using a cassette case 4 which has a built-in ink ribbon 11 and a tape 10 and covers both upper and lower surfaces. After printing the mirrored characters on the back side of the transparent tape via the ink ribbon in the printing medium of the laminate type, that is, the printing section, a double-sided adhesive tape is stuck on the printed surface, and Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to the case where the print medium is cut to a predetermined length in the same manner as described above.
[0042]
[Action and Effect of the Invention]
As described above, the printing medium cutting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is a printing apparatus for printing a printed tape after transporting an ink ribbon and a tape-shaped printing medium to a printing section of a printing tape producing apparatus. A cutting device for a print medium, which is provided with a cutting member having a receiving surface facing when the print medium passes, and a cutting blade for pressing and cutting the print medium against the receiving surface of the cutting member. And an interlocking engaging portion detachably engaged with a driving portion such as an operation lever, the interlocking portion being connected to the turning member via a turning support member integrally projecting from the holding member. On the other hand, the holding member is provided with a mounting portion to the printing tape making device.
[0043]
According to this configuration, when the rotating member provided with the cutting blade is rotated via the driving unit such as the operation lever, the cutting edge of the cutting blade is moved in accordance with the rotation of the rotating member. , The tape-shaped print-receiving medium passing through the receiving surface can be pushed off. The chopping member and the turning member are connected to each other via a turning support member to constitute one set. The entire set can be replaced.
[0044]
Therefore, if the sharpness of the print-receiving medium deteriorates, the set can be arbitrarily exchanged, so that there is an effect that the print-receiving medium can always be cut efficiently and neatly. In addition, since the replacement operation can be performed with the position of the cutting member, there is an effect that the risk that the cutting blade is injured when the finger touches the cutting blade can be prevented.
[0045]
Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the rotational range of the rotating member with respect to the chopping board member in the cutting device of the print medium according to claim 1, along the moving direction of the print medium at said receiving surface Since the rotation range restricting means for restricting the cutting edge of the cutting blade to be positioned within the range is provided, it is necessary to mount the tape-shaped print-receiving medium at the time of replacement of the above-mentioned one set or the tape forming apparatus. At times, the finger of the user does not enter the receiving surface of the cutting member, and therefore the finger does not touch the cutting edge of the cutting blade, thereby providing an effect of improving safety.
[0046]
Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the apparatus for cutting a medium to be printed according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotating member includes one of the wide surfaces of the cutting blade and the other surface. A clamping means for pressing and clamping is provided, and a projection is provided to make the cutting blade rotatable and immovable, and the cutting blade is provided with a mounting hole in which the projection fits. When the cutting blade does not come out of the moving member carelessly and presses the cutting edge of the cutting blade against the receiving surface, the cutting blade rotates around the protruding portion so that the entire cutting edge uniformly abuts the receiving surface, and the tape shape is formed. This has the effect that the medium to be printed can be cut neatly all at once.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printing tape producing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cassette case accommodating a tape case.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cassette case with a tape case removed.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tape case.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cutting device.
6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of each part of the cutting device.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating member taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printing tape producing device 4 cassette case 10 tape 38 as printing medium cutting device 50 scoring member 50a receiving surface 51 rotating member 52 cutting blade 53 operating lever 54 mounting hole 56a mounting piece 57 rotating support member 60 support hole 61 support Shaft 62 Cover plate 63 Press table 65 Projection 66 Gear part 67 Interlocking gear part 69 Stopper piece 70 Locking piece

Claims (3)

A device for cutting a printed medium to be printed after transporting an ink ribbon and a tape-shaped medium to be printed to a printing unit in a printing tape producing apparatus, comprising a receiving surface facing when the medium to be printed passes. A chopping member and a rotating member equipped with a cutting blade for pressing and cutting the print-receiving medium against the receiving surface of the chopping member, via a rotating support member integrally projecting from the chopping member. The rotating member is provided with an interlocking engagement portion which is detachably engaged with a driving portion such as an operation lever, while the turning member is provided with a mounting portion to the printing tape making device. An apparatus for cutting a medium to be printed. The rotation range of the rotating member relative to the chopping board member, provided with the rotating range regulating means for the cutting edge of the cutting blade at said receiving surface in a range along the movement direction of the print medium is limited so as to be located 2. The apparatus for cutting a print-receiving medium according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating member is provided with a holding means for pressing and holding the one of the wide surfaces of the cutting blade and the other surface, and a projection for making the cutting blade rotatable and immovable. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade is provided with a mounting hole into which the protrusion is fitted.

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